A DB-OECD Joint W orkshop on Gender in Education, Employment and Entrepreneurship in India, Indonesia and PRChina 27-28 February 201 2, Manila

The views expressed in this paper are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), or its Board of Governors, or the governments they represent. ADB does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this paper and accepts no responsibility for any consequence of their use. The countries listed in this paper do not imply any view on ADB's part as to sovereignty or independent status or necessarily conform to ADB's terminology.

Poor labour market outcomes for women - 2
• • • • • • Gender pay gap: Women’s wages: 70-90% of men’s – wider among high-earners than low -earners Lack of social protection increases women’s care burdens Work and family duties fall mainly on women: Pregnancy and family responsibilities - considerable employ ment discrimination Women’s unpaid work not defined as economic activity and not included in GDP and employ ment statistics Violence & sexual harassment against women at work Lack of “agency and representation” in decision making
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Investing in gender equality & decent work - 1
Support for job-rich, equitable growth: • Principles: • Equality not a costly luxury that must wait until the economy has been developed … • Mounting evidence: Equality essential tool for achieving higher productivity and growth • Strategies: • Decent work and gender equality integrated in macroeconomic, employ ment and social policies through gender mainstreaming and gender-specific action • “In equality we trust, protection only if we must” • The poor and marginalized – often women – not passive beneficiaries but agents of economic transformation
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Investing in gender equality and decent work - 2
Rule of law: Sound labour laws and active labour market policies in line with international labour standards for gender equality promotion: • Elimination of discrimination in employ ment and occupation, and equal remuneration for work of equal value – both fundamental labour standards. • Provision of adequate maternity protection and measures for reconciling work and family commitments. • Decent work, wages and contracts for home-based, parttime and domestic workers and those in hidden employ ment relationships. • Prohibition of child and forced labour, promotion of safe migration and protection of internal and international migrants from labour and sex exploitation.
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